In 1967, the Vancouver Art Gallery hired 48-year-old English-born Tony Emery as its director.
In his 2016 obituary, Vancouver Sun reporter Kevin Griffin notes that "when [Emery] took over as director of the VAG, a newer, younger art scene had been forming and developing in Vancouver. As part of his mandate, he opened the gallery to experimental and avant garde art practices in the province."
"Under Emery," Griffin continues, "the VAG became a kind of community centre for the arts. He opened the gallery to the community like never before. In addition to showing art, the VAG became a venue for poetry readings and experimental theatre/performances by groups such as Savage God Theatre. It also became a place where you could go and listen to music at lunchtime."
Later in the obit Griffin quotes Karen McDiarmid, whom Emery hired as an outreach co-ordinator and assistant curator, and who was instrumental in providing the east side arts collective Mainstreeters opportunities to both explore and hone their art.
“There was so much going on in the gallery for people to do,” McDiarmid said. “It wasn’t an art museum — it was an art space for people to enjoy things. All kinds of amazing things happened there.
“It was fun, it was loose. I loved him. I thought he was the best thing that could ever have happened to the Vancouver Art Gallery.”
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